International partnerships between universities are expanding and diversifying worldwide. Policymakers have understood that an active strategy of partnering national universities with world-class universities can bring socio-economic returns, and promote change. This article analyzes the background and logic behind the design and early development of an ongoing international partnership program established between a medium-sized European country and three prominent US research universities in 2006. Our findings show that political will, combined with an academic background and experience, have enabled the policymakers to learn from other international partnerships, and shape the involvement with the US universities. The role of “champion” policymakers was critical to the establishment of the partnerships before and during the initial period. Throughout this process the role of previous science policies and networks were found to have leveraged national research groups to collaborate and benefit from the IPPs, and supported long-term research collaboration ties with US universities. Portuguese faculty at US universities mediated the interaction between US and Portuguese academics and policymakers, and promoted the partnerships within their universities. Finally, the policymaker's focus on institutional competition was able to draw on the competitiveness of academics and institutions on both sides of the Atlantic, encouraging individuals and institutions to increase their involvement.